Aerosol valve actuator

ABSTRACT

The valve of an aerosol can is actuated by a lever having a handle portion and an intermediate portion bearing on a lock member. The lever is pivotably mounted in a clip. The lock member is in screw-threaded engagement with the valve for movement the realong between closed and open positions. The lock member can be placed in any intermediate position to set a desired flow rate through the valve when the lever is depressed by the user.

This invention relates to an actuator arrangement for the valve of anaerosol pack. The term "aerosol pack" is used herein to denote acontainer in which is a material to be dispensed ("the product") bymeans of a propellant, either of a true aerosol type in which theproduct is in admixture with or in solution in the propellant, or of thetype where these two are separated by a membrane, diaphragm or piston.The invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable to aerosolpacks for dispensing viscous or semi-solid material such as mastic orsilicone rubber.

Such products require a high propellant pressure to dispense themsatisfactorily. This in turn means that a relatively high pressure mustbe exerted by the user on the valve to open it. It is known to providethe valve with diametrically extending wings to allow the user to engagea finger on either side. However, this arrangement is clumsy to use,very often requiring the bottom of the can to be held in the other hand,and is tiring in use.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved arrangement for actuating the valve of an aerosol pack, whichovercomes or mitigates the above disadvantages.

Accordingly, the invention resides in an aerosol pack (as defined above)comprising a body for containing the product and propellant; an outletvalve member slidably movable in the body between closed and openpositions; and an actuator having one end fixed with respect to thebody, another end forming a handle, and an intermediate portion engagedwith the valve member.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section through the upper part of anaerosol pack in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a lock member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lock member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a clip of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the clip of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 1, but showing the lockmember in unlocked position;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a modified form ofthe invention and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an actuator for use in the aboveembodiments.

Referring to FIG. 1, the pack comprises a can body 10 having acylindrical side wall 12 and integral top 14 formed from aluminium bydeep drawing. The central part of the top 14 is formed as a boss 16 ofgenerally cylindrical form. A valve member 18 is slidably seated in theboss 16 and forms a seal therewith by means of O-ring 20. The valvemember 18 has a flanged base 22 which is normally seated by the internalpropellant pressure against the top 14 to close the pack. Downwardmovement of the valve member 18 against the internal pressure allows theproduct to exit via apertures one of which is seen at 24. A taperednozzle 26 is threadedly engaged with the upper end of the valve member18.

A lock member 28 is in threaded engagement with the exterior of thevalve member 18. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the lock member 28engages the top 14 and prevents actuation of the valve. To dispense theproduct, the lock member is screwed up the valve member 18, as will bediscussed in more detail below, and the valve member can then bedepressed to dispense the product.

A clip 30 formed from spring steel is positioned between the lock member28 and the can top 14. The clip 30 (see also FIGS. 4 and 5) comprisesteeth 32 engaging the boss 16, a pair of bent-over fulcrum portions 34,and an upwardly-extending stop portion 36.

An actuator 38 (see also FIGS. 6 and 8) is provided in the form of awire shaped to provide a handle portion 40, a pair of curved camportions 42, and a pair of free ends 44. The ends 44 are engaged underthe fulcrum portions 34 of the clip 30 and the cam portions 42 liewithin a groove 46 on the lock member to bear on a flange 48 thereof.When the lock member 28 is engaged with the can top 14 as in FIG. 1, thehandle portion lies alongside the can side wall 12.

To dispense product, the lock member is screwed upwardly by an amountdepending on the rate of discharge desired. A maximum limit to thismovement is set by the stop portion 36 of the clip 30 engaging one of anumber of shoulders 50 (see FIG. 2 and 3) formed around thecircumference of the lock member 28. The arrangement is such that themaximum travel of the valve member retains the O-ring 20 within the boss16. The groove 46 in lock member 28 is provided with protrusions 52, andthe actuator 38 is dimensioned such that the cam portions 42 exert agripping force on the lock member 28; this produces a "click" effectwhich gives the user an indication of the degree of rotation achieved.

Rotation of the lock member 28 and its corresponding movement away fromthe can top 14 causes the handle portion 40 to swing out from the sidewall 12, as seen in FIG. 6. The pack may then be held in one hand withthe fingers on the handle portion 40. Tightening the grip moves thehandle portion 40 inwards and opens the valve member via the action ofthe cam portions 42 on the flange 48. The actuator 38 acts as a levergiving a mechanical advantage and thus makes operation of the packeasier and less fatiguing.

The cam portions 42 are preferably shaped such that the point ofengagement with the flange 48 is aligned with the longitudinal axis ofthe can when the valve is open. This gives optimum mechanical advantageand minimises any tendency of the valve to stick in its travel.

It is preferred to assemble the parts by positioning the clip 30 on theboss 16 and then forcing the clip downward by screwing the lock member28 home. To assist in this, the upper part of the external surface ofthe boss 16 is tapered, as seen in FIG. 1, which permits the clip to beplaced at an angle on the boss 16. The under surface of the flange 48 iscut away at 48b (FIG. 1) to provide an annular surface bearing on theclip 30 while clearing the teeth 32; this allows the stop member 28 tobe screwed down to force the clip home, as described above. The stopportion 36 in the embodiment shown is formed such that it will snap overthe flange 48 during this operation. It is also possible in amodification (not shown) to use a stop portion without a rolled-overtop: by using the angled placement of clip 30 referred to above, thestop portion is rotated to a position above flange 48 without engagingit. In this case the chamfer 48a on the flange shown can be dispensedwith.

Preferred applications of the pack are in the dispensing of siliconecompounds and other curable compounds, for which polypropylene is thepreferred material for the valve member, as the product will not cure toit. It has been found that with a polypropylene valve member, a lockmember of the same material will not rotate freely, and high-densitypolythylene is a suitable material for the lock member.

FIG. 7 shows a modified form of embodiment in which the clip 30 isomitted. The junction between the side wall 12 and top 14 of the cam isformed to provide an upstanding rim 70 and inturned flange 72, and theactuator 38 has its free ends formed as hooked portions 44' hooked underthe flange 72.

The use of shaped wire for the actuator is preferred for ease ofassembly. The handle portion may be provided with a soft plastics coveror sleeve 50 (FIG. 8). However, actuators of other materials and shapesmay be used within the scope of the present invention.

I claim:
 1. A pressurized pack for dispensing viscous material,semi-solid material, and the like comprising a body for containing aproduct and a propellant; an outlet valve member slidably movable in thebody between closed and open positions; and an actuator having one endfixed with respect to the body, another end forming a handle, and anintermediate portion engaged with the valve member; the actuatorengaging with the valve member via a lock member which is axiallymovable on the valve member between locked and unlocked positions whichrespectively prevent and permit movement of the valve member in thebody; the actuator being generally L-shaped with the handle lyingadjacent a side wall of the body when the lock member is in said lockedposition but being angled to said side wall when the lock member is insaid unlocked position, the lock member being positionable selectivelyat any position between said locked and unlocked positions to set themaximum opening of the valve member and thus to select the flow rate ofthe product, the valve member and the lock member being formed withcooperating screw threads, and a stop provided to limit the maximumtravel of the lock member and thus the maximum valve opening travel,said stop comprising one or more shoulders on the lock membercooperating with a tab upstanding from a clip positioned under the lockmember.
 2. The pack of claim 1, in which the clip is also formed toprovide pivot means for said one end of the actuator.
 3. The pack ofclaim 1, in which the clip is formed with spring teeth engaging a neckformed in the top of the body, the valve member being slidable withinthe neck.
 4. The pack of claim 3 in which at least part of the outersurface of the neck is tapered to permit the clip to be seated thereonat an angle during assembly.
 5. The pack of claim 1, in which theactuator comprises spaced limbs the intermediate portions of which bearon a flange formed on the lock member.
 6. The pack of claim 5 in whichsaid intermediate portions are curved to form a cam such that the pointof contact of the cam is aligned with the central axis of the valve whenthe valve is fully open.
 7. The pack of claim 5, in which said limbsresiliently grip an area of the lock member, and the lock member isformed with protrusions in said area to provide a tactile indication ofthe degree of opening.